The REACH Center supports research that enhances the quality of life for children, youth, and families, and disseminates the benefits of this research to the public through outreach and professional development for staff and educators working with these audiences. Learn more About Us!
Children, Youth, and Families At-Risk (CYFAR)
The Children, Youth, and Families At-Risk (CYFAR) is a national initiative that provides funding for Sustainable Community Projects (SCP). These projects are developed to meet locally identified needs, are research based, and provide quality programs for vulnerable, at-risk, low-income, and low-resource children, youth, and families to promote positive life outcomes. REACH Lab comprises one portion of the CYFAR Professional Development and Technical Assistance (PDTA) Center (also includes the Pennsylvania State University and eight coaches representing 1890 and 1862 land-grant universities). Learn more about the CYFAR Initiative.
Technical Assistance-Peer Coaching (TA-PC) Center for the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
The WIC TA-PC Center is a national initiative that supports WIC personnel in recruiting and retaining a diverse, culturally responsive, highly trained WIC workforce attuned to the unique contexts of the families served. It will use a three-pronged approach rooted in human-centered design theory and regard for the individuals who work for and participate in the WIC program:
- Adapting existing and developing new training materials that build critical cultural competencies.
- Hiring and training proactive peer coaches (Peer Coaching).
- Providing centralized technical assistance (Technical Assistance).
Army Youth Programs
The University of Minnesota’s REACH Lab enhances Army youth programs by integrating research and outreach to support staff working with military-connected youth. In partnership with the Search Institute, we host and maintain an online training course that equips staff with strategies for building positive relationships with youth. Additionally, we support the Army Youth Program Assessment (AYPA) Tool, providing technical assistance, training, and reporting to help programs evaluate and improve their impact. Our work ensures that youth program staff have the resources to foster meaningful connections and create high-quality experiences for young people. We help strengthen youth programs across Army installations through ongoing support and data-driven insights.